Fear and the Fig Tree

"Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, 'May you never bear fruit again!' Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazing, 'How did the fig tree wither so quickly?' they asked. Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:18-22

"The next day, as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again. And his disciples hear him say it... In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!' ' Have faith in God,' Jesus answered. 'Truly I tell you, in anyone say to this mountain 'Go throw yourself into the sea.' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:12-14, 20-24

These two accounts have always left me puzzled. At first glance, they don't match up. Aside from the different perspectives of the different writers, there is something that honestly, kind of leave me nervous. I understand that the point of the parable was to demonstrate to the disciples that their faith could do amazing things. They could literally move mountains. I have seen evidence in my own life. When I ask for something in prayer, and truly believe that God can do what only He can do, He has come through. 

I also believe that God gives us different seasons in life. In Mark 11:13, it identifies that Jesus didn't find figs on the tree because "it was not the season for figs." So in summary, he cursed a tree for not having figs that wasn't supposed to have figs in that time of it's life. At first glance, that is kind of scary. Different seasons of life bring different things. Your life most certainly looks different when you are single, and then a newlywed, then with a family and then eventually as empty nesters. Your expectations for ourselves, and I believe God's expectations, because of his kindness and mercy,  for us in each of these seasons is different. So is there a season in which God would curse me? Would Jesus have cursed the tree if it had buds or the beginning of fruits? God created the seasons and the harvest schedule, so why would he have cursed a tree that was simply doing what it was designed to do: live in seasons. 

Scripture doesn't expand on this fact. It also included this fact for a reason. It is one of the many mysteries of scripture. Gotquestions.org addressed this issue and brought some clarity to the story. 

"The fruit of the fig tree generally appears before the leaves, and, because the fruit is green it blends in with the leaves right up until it is almost ripe. Therefore, when Jesus and His disciples saw from a distance that the tree had leaves, they would have expected it to also have fruit on it even though it was earlier in the season than what would be normal for a fig tree to be bearing fruit. Also, each tree would often produce two to three crops of figs each season. There would be an early crop in the spring followed by one or two later crops. In some parts of Israel, depending on climate and conditions, it was also possible that a tree might produce fruit ten out of twelve months. This also explains why Jesus and His disciples would be looking for fruit on the fig tree even if it was not in the main growing season. The fact that the tree alreaady had leaves on it even though it was at a higher elevation around Jerusalem, and therefore would have been outside the normal season for figs, would have seemed to be a good indication that there would also be fruit on it." 

The tree having leaves would have brought the expectation of figs. It appeared to be something that it wasn't. It looked like it was producing fruit when it wasn't. It was a fake. Taking that back to the seasons of life, you evaluate your own transparency in your current season. Am I wearing a mask? Am I faking my faith or am I living out what God has for me in this season? The fruit might look different in every season, but it must be genuine. The actions of loving God and loving people may look different because of our circumstances or life stage may look different at different times, but they must always be present. There need not be fear for being cursed as long as we are doing these things. Scripture isn't always clear. Good, Godly commentary can help. But at the end of the day, God doesn't want us to live in fear. 

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." 

1 Timothy 1:7